--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I try to get beyond is playing music…" description: "\"What I try to get beyond is playing music at people and, instead, to play music with people because audience members are constantly part of the experie..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/858/al-jarreau-7533_audience_what-i-try-to-get-beyond-is-playing-musi_2096557.jpg" --- # What I try to get beyond is playing music at people and… ![“What I try to get beyond is playing music at people and, instead, to play music with people because audience members are constantly part of the experience. What they say in their body language, what they say in their eyes, what they sing with me... it's an 'us,' and there's a communication that's…” quote by Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/858/al-jarreau-7533_audience_what-i-try-to-get-beyond-is-playing-musi_2096557.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/858/al-jarreau-7533_audience_what-i-try-to-get-beyond-is-playing-musi_2096557.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/858/al-jarreau-7533_audience_what-i-try-to-get-beyond-is-playing-musi_2096557.jpg) > “What I try to get beyond is playing music at people and, instead, to play music with people because audience members are constantly part of the experience. What they say in their body language, what they say in their eyes, what they sing with me... it's an 'us,' and there's a communication that's like... it's like church, man.” [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He emphasizes collaborative performance, viewing the audience as co‑creators rather than passive listeners. **In simple terms:** Play music together, not for people. Key Takeaway Foster shared musical experiences. Themes collaboration audience interaction performance community communication Mood connected inspired reflective Type musical philosophical When to use this quote - live concerts - jam sessions - workshops - community events Key Concepts musical dialogue collective improvisation empathy Questions to Reflect On - How can you invite audience input without losing artistic direction? - What does “us” feel like in your performances? A Different Perspective Audience participation can be unpredictable, challenging control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Body language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body-language/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Playing music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-music/) ## Related quotes > [Being on Oprah? You realize that there are a couple of types of audience members. There are like the cult people in the audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genevieve-gorder/being-on-oprah-you-realize-that-there-are-a-couple-of-types-of/) [Genevieve Gorder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genevieve-gorder/) > [It's very difficult for me to travel now without music just because I'm so spoiled. It's a huge luxury to go and play your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-watson/it-s-very-difficult-for-me-to-travel-now-without-music-just-because-i/) [Patrick Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-watson/) > [The biggest change is I get to play my music for the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-allen/the-biggest-change-is-i-get-to-play-my-music-for-the-people/) [Kris Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-allen/) > [My whole thing is not just to play music for people, but to make them part of the evening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-hamlisch/my-whole-thing-is-not-just-to-play-music-for-people-but-to-make-them/) [Marvin Hamlisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-hamlisch/) > [I don't really see myself as a pop star. I guess I just really enjoy being able to play my music for people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-merton/i-don-t-really-see-myself-as-a-pop-star-i-guess-i-just-really-enjoy/) [Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) > [I play music for people all over the world. It's a huge privilege.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristian-nairn/i-play-music-for-people-all-over-the-world-it-s-a-huge-privilege/) [Kristian Nairn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristian-nairn/) > [That's why you put out records: hoping that people will connect with them. I mean, I play music for myself, for sure, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-james/that-s-why-you-put-out-records-hoping-that-people-will-connect-with/) [Jim James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-james/) > [My dad's a musician, and he taught me how to play when I was three, I think, so I've been playing ever since. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-schneider/my-dad-s-a-musician-and-he-taught-me-how-to-play-when-i-was-three-i/) [Bob Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-schneider/) > [You know, I mean, we play music, if people like it and they want to, you know, they want to support us, then that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lacey-sturm/you-know-i-mean-we-play-music-if-people-like-it-and-they-want-to-you/) [Lacey Sturm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lacey-sturm/) > [I don't want to get rich. I just want to play my music for the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-kirkland/i-don-t-want-to-get-rich-i-just-want-to-play-my-music-for-the-people/) Eddie Kirkland > [I really love playing music with other people. It's more fun to be on the road with others. It's kind of lonely out there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chapman/i-really-love-playing-music-with-other-people-it-s-more-fun-to-be-on/) [Tracy Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chapman/) > [I listen mostly to live music, and mostly my musical experience was playing music with other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/i-listen-mostly-to-live-music-and-mostly-my-musical-experience-was/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) > [I do like playing music with other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-elverum/i-do-like-playing-music-with-other-people/) [Phil Elverum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-elverum/) > [We played a lot of live shows, we just kept plugging away and playing music and people kept coming back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/we-played-a-lot-of-live-shows-we-just-kept-plugging-away-and-playing/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) > [I was 21, and I was like, "Man, am I really gonna start over and try this whole thing over again? Do I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-goldsmith/i-was-21-and-i-was-like-man-am-i-really-gonna-start-over-and-try-this/) [Taylor Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-goldsmith/) ## More by Al Jarreau > [I want to give the audience the whole package, and for me, the whole package is to give them something fresh as well. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-want-to-give-the-audience-the-whole-package-and-for-me-the-whole/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I'm a Buckeye at heart. I spend more time giving concerts in Ohio than I do in any other state - perhaps more time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-m-a-buckeye-at-heart-i-spend-more-time-giving-concerts-in-ohio-than/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [Let that get you up in the morning and put the light in your eyes. I'm telling you, it makes you a better husband,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/let-that-get-you-up-in-the-morning-and-put-the-light-in-your-eyes-i-m/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I'm an R&B and pop singer as well as a jazzer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-m-an-r-b-and-pop-singer-as-well-as-a-jazzer/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I really do see it as the start of the second half of my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-really-do-see-it-as-the-start-of-the-second-half-of-my-career/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [Every day is Thanksgiving.On this stage you're going to hear God and none of them other words, and I ain't going to touch my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/every-day-is-thanksgiving-on-this-stage-you-re-going-to-hear-god-and/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I came along with that crowd of singer-songwriters who were able to make their own statements in such a personal way that it changed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-came-along-with-that-crowd-of-singer-songwriters-who-were-able-to/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I think being a little older and a little more determined and being a little more evolved in my case and maturity in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-think-being-a-little-older-and-a-little-more-determined-and-being-a/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [When you do a lyric for 'April in Paris,' those who have heard it before can hear it in a different way now. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/when-you-do-a-lyric-for-april-in-paris-those-who-have-heard-it-before/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I was age six or seven, and singing, "Jesus wants me for her son, beep, to shine for him," and people smiled and pinched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-was-age-six-or-seven-and-singing-jesus-wants-me-for-her-son-beep-to/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I have this image in my head of me in the house I grew up in, and hearing this incredible music on the television…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-have-this-image-in-my-head-of-me-in-the-house-i-grew-up-in-and/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I sat on the piano bench next to my mother in church. Something happened before I set foot on this planet. I was crawling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-sat-on-the-piano-bench-next-to-my-mother-in-church-something/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I'm a little bit nervous for us with all of this electronically generated new hyper-space that we've moved into, where not only people but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-m-a-little-bit-nervous-for-us-with-all-of-this-electronically/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [The Metropole Orchestra is like Count Basie or Duke Ellington with strings... it's strings that swing. Strings that swing like Dizzy Gillespie... keep swinging,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/the-metropole-orchestra-is-like-count-basie-or-duke-ellington-with/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I came here with something in me that I inherited from my folks. So I'm going to do something called life and times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-came-here-with-something-in-me-that-i-inherited-from-my-folks-so-i/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) [Explore all 90 Al Jarreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. 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My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What I try to get beyond is playing music at people and, instead, to play music with people because audience members are constantly part of the experience. 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